Iron menstrual loss

Menstrual loss is about 30 mg. period menstruating women may therefore be in negative iron balance. 

Menstrual losses of blood average 28 milligrams monthly. One in four college-age women are iron deficient, possibly due to ignoring the need for increased iron intake prior to and during menstruation. Diseases that cause iron deficiency are colon cancer, hiatal hernia, ulcers, hemorrhoids, bladder tumor, and diverticulosis. Soft drinks high in phosphates cause iron to be excreted in the urine. Lack of copper or manganese in the diet reduces iron assimilation, as does a deficiency of vitamin C. Oxalic acid foods, such as chard and rhubarb, can block iron intake. 

Thus, our attention should shift from the concern of potential adverse effects to the health benefits imparted by hormonal contraceptives. The use of oral contraceptives for at least 12 months reduces the risk of developing endometrial cancer by 50%. Furthermore, the risk of epithelial ovarian cancer in users of oral contraceptives is reduced by 40% compared with that on nonusers. This kind of protection is already seen after as little as 3-6 months of use. Oral contraceptives also decrease the incidence of ovarian cysts and fibrocystic breast disease. They reduce menstrual blood loss and thus the incidence of iron-deficiency anemia. A decreased incidence of pelvic inflammatory disease and ectopic pregnancies has been reported as well as an ameliorating effect on the clinical course of endometriosis. 

Taking the contraceptive hormones provides health benefits not related to contraception, such as regulating the menstrual cycle and decreased blood loss, and incidence of iron deficiency anemia, and dysmenorrhea Health benefits related to the inhibition of ovulation include a decrease in ovarian cysts and ectopic pregnancies. hi addition, there is a decrease in fibrocyctic breast disease, acute pelvic inflammatory disease endometrial cancer, ovarian cancer, maintenance of bone density, and symptoms related to endometriosis in women taking contraceptive hormones. Newer combination contraceptives such as norgestimate and ethinyl estradiol... 

The most common cause of iron deficiency in adults is blood loss. Menstruating women lose about 30 mg of iron with each menstrual period women with heavy menstrual bleeding may lose much more. Thus, many premenopausal women have... 

Larsson G, Milsom I, Lindstedt G, Rybo G. The influence of a low-dose combined oral contraceptive on menstrual blood loss and iron status. Contraception 1992 46(4) 327-334. 

Reduced menstrual blood loss and thus less iron deficiency anemia... 

Q8 This is unlikely as Maria appears to have a well-balanced food intake and is not trying to diet. In iron-deficiency anaemia, whether caused by poor dietary intake of iron or haemorrhage, RBCs are small. New RBCs entering the circulation are microcytic and carry reduced amount of haemoglobin (hypochromic). The small cells can be visualized on a standard blood film. Premenopausal women are especially likely to suffer from iron-deficiency anaemia following menstrual blood loss and childbirth. However, the blood tests show that Maria s red cells are larger than normal, so she is not suffering from this form of anaemia. 

Q4 Excessive bleeding during the menstrual period is called menorrhagia. The blood loss reduces levels of iron in the body and may result in iron-deficiency anaemia. The causes of excessive bleeding could be inflammation, fibroids, endometriosis, cervical polyps, adenomyosis, ovarian tumours, intrauterine devices (IUDs), inherited clotting disorders, endocrine dysfunction, such as thyroid dysfunction, or mental stress. In terms of drug therapy, oral ferrous... 

Biliary excretion of copper and iron is important. Major losses of iron can be caused by internal bleeding. Thus women during their menstrual periods will be in negative iron balance unless proper nutrition is observed. Blood loss via the gastrointestinal tract, as in ulcers or some forms of cancer, leads quickly to loss of utilizable or stored iron. ... 

Iron status is improved in most oral contraceptive users because of reduced menstrual blood loss an important benefit of oral contraceptive use is therefore a reduction in the prevalence of iron deficiency anemia (187). Much of the relevant research has been with higher dosages than are currently used. However, a study of a low-dose... 

The principal loss of iron in nonpregnant women during the reproducing years is through menstruation. In one study, the mean menstrual blood loss was 43.4 2.3 mL. Since each milliliter of blood from a normal woman contains about 0.5 mg of iron, the amount lost every 27 days is... 

Oral contraceptives have major benefits related to menstruation, including more regular menstruation, reduced menstrual blood loss and less iron-deficiency anemia, and decreased frequency of dysmenorrhea. There also is a decreased incidence of pelvic inflammatory disease and ectopic pregnancies, and endometriosis may be amehorated. 

Requirements for iron vary according to age and gender. Infants and adult men need 10 mg per day infants are bom with a three- to six-month supply. Children and women (ages 16 through 50) need 15 to 18 mg per day. Women lose 20 to 23 mg of iron during each menstrual period. Pregnant and lactat-ing women need more than 18 mg per day. After a blood loss,... 

Only about 10% of dietary iron is absorbed, and only as little as 1-5% of that in many plant foods. As discussed in section 11.15.2.3, iron deficiency is a serious problem some 10-15 % of women of child-bearing age have menstrual iron losses greater than... 

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